by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik walked through the lobby of baseball's winter meetings hotel Monday, and considering the ridicule and scorn fired from all sides, didn't know whether to run, duck, or put a bulls-eye on his back to make sure no innocent victims were hurt.

The man pulls off the biggest free-agent signing in Seattle Mariners history, hoping to restore respectability to this damaged franchise by signing Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million contract, and all he hears is condemnation.

Baseball owners, general managers and evaluators are blasting away, believing the contract was reckless and irresponsible, will cripple the franchise and damage the industry.

"This is not going to be the first 10-year contract that works,'' says former All-Star pitcher Curt Schilling, who Monday was named the analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. "Robinson Cano is going to be a good player. I think the next four, five years, he's going to be a very good player. But this will not work.

"It never fails. It's impossible to stay healthy in this sport. And as you're seeing the sport cleaning up, it's going to even be harder for the players to stay healthy.

"Five years from now, they'll be looking to move an enormous contract and eat a bunch of it.''

The sentiment was echoed throughout the hallways at Disney's Swan and Dolphin resort, one Hall of Famer even terming it the game's worst contract ever.

If that's not enough, the local paper, the Seattle Times, wrote a scathing story Sunday that can be politely called a character assassination. It was filled with quotes from former manager Eric Wedge and top assistant Tony Blengino describing Zduriencik a tyrant and portraying a cancerous work environment.

Zduriencik was infuriated, and hurt, and issued a statement Monday essentially asking when it was a crime to ask questions and make suggestions for a team that has lost 374 games the last four seasons, including 91 last year?

"People can write and say what they want, but this is an exciting time in Seattle,'' Zduriencik told USA TODAY Sports. "Any time you can make your club better, especially if you can upgrade with a star, it helps everybody. A star coming to our market is a great thing.

"I don't know if it's sending a message to anybody, but Seattle is a great city, a great community, a great place to play, and a great place to live. There could be another free agent out there who wants to come to our team now.''

Yes, they're talking about you, free-agent outfielder Nelson Cruz.

And they're talking about you, Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price. The Mariners certainly have enough young talent, including the likes of 21-year-old starter Taijuan Walker, to consummate a deal for the biggest fish on the trade market.

"Our pursuit of top free-agent talent,'' Zduriencik says, "has a lot to do how we were building this thing the last couple of years. We have a strong foundation with young players. Now, we're in position to take the step, if you will, to bring in players at this time.''

Schilling, himself facing a fraud and negligence lawsuit from Rhode Island's Economic Development Corp. over a failed video game venture, just can't buy it.

"I've never been in a situation or know anybody that went to a place,'' Schilling said, "because one guy was there. It doesn't mean anything. It just means that somebody gave [a player] that might have not gone there otherwise a whole lot of money.

"That doesn't speak to a philosophy or an approach.''

Zduriencik isn't about to apologize. He even joked with Cano's agent, Jay-Z, during negotiations that he was the original J-Z. He believes the Mariners are ready to win. And, after refusing to out-bid the Detroit Tigers for slugger Prince Fielder two years ago, the Mariners offered 240 million reasons they're committed.

"To me, this was one of those statement signings to your fan base and ballclub,'' Arizona Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers said, "that you're serious about competing.

"I'm sure players look at the Mariners in a much different way today that they did a week ago. It sends a message to your own players.''

Arizona's trying to do the same thing, setting sights on high-priced free-agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo after Carlos Beltran chose the Yankees' three-year, $45 million deal over their $48 million package.

The Mariners fully recognized they were going to have to overpay to get any marquee star to come to Seattle. If you're going to pry a player away from the New York Yankees, and he was demanding at least $235 million from them, you better dig deep in those pockets.

Besides, what are the Mariners supposed to do, pocket that new $2 billion TV contract? Ignore the dwindling attendance that has gone from 3.5 million to 1.7 million since their last postseason run in 2001? Keep telling their fans to remain patient while wearing those old Ken Griffey Jr. replica tops to games?

Certainly, you didn't hear the Los Angeles Dodgers' fans whining about their bloated $234 million payroll last year when the Guggenheim ownership group brought a division title back to Chavez Ravine.

"The bottom line is that it comes down to winning ballgames,'' said Miami Marlins president Michael Hill. "Flashy signings and press conferences are great. But it all comes down to what you're putting on the field and winning ballgames.''

The Marlins found out the hard way two years ago when they went on a $190 million free-agent spending spree, finished in last place, and dumped them off a year later. Now, they're back building the old-fashioned way.

Only time will tell how the Mariners' fate plays out. Maybe they'll become the new hotbed destination for free agents. Maybe it will be a disaster.